Haworthiopsis attenuata
| Light | Bright, indirect light; tolerates lower light indoors but colours best with a few hours of gentle sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out completely; much less in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining, gritty mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; happiest in ordinary room temperatures, USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets (primary); leaf cuttings and seed also possible |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Haworthiopsis attenuata, the zebra plant or zebra haworthia, is the small, hardy rosette succulent that has become one of the most familiar of all windowsill plants. Its stiff, upright, dark green leaves are decorated on the outer surface with raised bands of white tubercles, giving the striped, pearly appearance that inspires its common name. Along with the closely related Haworthiopsis fasciata, it is the plant most people picture when they hear "zebra haworthia," and it is prized for being tough, tidy and endlessly forgiving.
Description
Haworthiopsis attenuata forms a compact rosette usually 6–12 cm across, made up of many narrow, tapering, triangular leaves that stand more or less upright and curve gently inward at the tips. The leaves are firm and fleshy, dark green, and studded on the outside with numerous small white tubercles that run together into irregular horizontal bands — the "zebra" stripes. Unlike its lookalike H. fasciata, the tubercles on H. attenuata occur on both the inner and outer leaf surfaces, which is the most reliable way to tell the two apart.
In good light the leaves take on a slightly reddish or bronzed cast at the tips. Mature rosettes send up a tall, slender flower spike bearing small tubular white flowers marked with greenish or brownish veins; the blooms are modest and the plant is grown almost entirely for its foliage. Over time a healthy plant offsets freely, forming a dense clump of pups around the parent.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where it grows in dry, rocky scrubland and grassland. In habitat it typically nestles among rocks or beneath low shrubs and grasses, which shelter it from the fiercest sun and leave only the leaf tips exposed. This background of bright but filtered light and sharp drainage is a useful guide to how it likes to be grown. Although abundant in cultivation, wild populations have declined, and the species is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) on the Red List of South African Plants, chiefly through habitat loss and over-collection for the horticultural and traditional-medicine trades.[1]
Cultivation
Haworthiopsis attenuata is one of the easiest succulents to keep and an excellent beginner's plant. It thrives in bright, indirect light — an east- or west-facing windowsill is ideal — and will tolerate lower light better than most succulents, though too little makes it stretch and lose its tidy shape. A few hours of gentle direct sun bring out the best colour, but harsh midday summer sun through glass can scorch or bleach the leaves.
Grow it in a small pot in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix. Water thoroughly when the soil has dried out completely, then wait; the fleshy leaves store plenty of moisture and the plant far prefers a little neglect to constant damp. Cut watering right back in winter, when the plant is semi-dormant. Ordinary room temperatures suit it perfectly, and it makes an undemanding houseplant year-round. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
The simplest method is division of offsets. Mature clumps produce pups around the base, which can be gently separated — with a few roots of their own if possible — and potted up individually; see Propagation — offsets. Leaf cuttings are also possible: a cleanly detached leaf, left to callus and laid on a gritty mix, will sometimes root and form a small plantlet, though haworthias are slower and less reliable this way than many other succulents (see Propagation — cuttings). Seed is used mainly by specialists and hybridisers.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest cause of loss, almost always from overwatering or a soil that stays wet; the rosette softens, browns and collapses from the base.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the rosette stretch, the leaves splay open and the neat form is lost.
- Shrivelled, folded leaves — usually underwatering or a lost root system; a healthy plant with intact roots plumps up again after a good soak.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff between the leaves and at the roots) and the occasional scale insect are the usual offenders. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Haworthiopsis — the genus overview
- Haworthiopsis fasciata — the near-identical lookalike, distinguished by smooth inner leaf surfaces
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets · Repotting · Pests and diseases